Callum felt like he could fly to the moon and stars. In a single day he had not only confessed his feelings to the one person he cared most about outside his family, but he had mended a long ago friendship that he admittedly had missed for so long. (That and mastering a new Sky spell as well.)

Even now he could feel Clay and Teacher's presence within his heart and his mind. It was something he likened to walking inside the Banther Lodge with a warm fire stoked in the hearth after running around among the snow.

He was whole and he was home.

Still the knowledge of what this had cost him and his friends and family dampened his joy in that moment. He closed his eyes for a heartbeat as he gripped his brother's hand and Rayla's as well. Never wanting to let either of them go again.

"Callum."

He looked up and smiled at Teacher, he learned long ago that in the mind time was irrelevant, and anything was truly possible. Just like in the waking world, only in this 'dream-scape' one could create what they dreamed of instantly. Teacher had taught him and Clay that this plane of existence was for exploring infinite possibilities before being made solid in the waking realm.

Callum sat beside his mentor figure as they both looked from what he could guess was the top of the Storm Spire. Leaning against the rocky muzzle, he waited patiently for Teacher to explain why he had called him here.

"Always so eager to know young Seedling."

Callum rolled his eyes at the joking lilt of Teacher's voice.

"Where's Clay at?"

Teacher's eye flicked down to him briefly before focusing back on the clouds lazily drifting by.

"He is with his friends in their world. He will meet with us when you two are both asleep."

Callum sat forward as he remembered what Teacher had tried explaining to the two young Seedlings, as he jokingly called them.

When Teacher helped create Clay's world, he discovered that there had been a critical flaw made in it. Certain dragon's existed that could do great things with magic, but at the terrible cost of their soul. Teacher sought out a way to amend what he perceived as his mistake.

When he exiled himself for other supposed crimes, he found a solution.

Using his power, Teacher had created a reverse world that mirrored Clay's. Teacher then separated his very essence; his mind, his will, his very soul, from his body. He then 'planted' his body in this mirror world. His goal was to create a world of natural flowing magic that would find its way to Clay's world and allow the 'Animus' dragons to use their gifts without fear of becoming something horrible.

It hadn't worked. Not initially.

Teacher had then explained that Callum was essentially Clay's power. The reverse world, Xadia, had in fact gifted magic to beings within it, while at the same time not making them physically strong. Unless they bonded with a dragon, just as Callum had done.

Harmony had finally been achieved. Clay and Callum were living proof that Teacher had been right. Clay now had access to unlimited magic while in exchange, Callum developed sharpened senses and muscle thanks to the bond that Teacher had sacrificed to make.

It was daunting to think that Clay and he were, in a way, brothers bound together across time and space. Teacher always told them both, that while Xadia's unintended creation did upset him, he wouldn't have changed his decisions that led to it being made.

Callum shook himself out of his thoughts as a blanket appeared from nowhere, then settled around him. Smiling up at Teacher he tucked it around himself.

"You seemed deep in thought."

Callum smiled as he leaned back against the rocky skin of Teacher's muzzle.

"Just remembering your history lesson, about how you made our world to give Pyrrhia peace and then we came along to confuse things."

Teacher merely chuckled as he looked down at him.

"No, you came because you were what was truly needed by the Animus users. A fount of power is useless if it comes from something you can't actually converse with. But if that power comes from another living being that has respect for that power, then perhaps you may learn the same respect for that power, and not abuse it."

Callum smiled, before feeling it dip down slightly.

"Is that why you called me here Teacher? So I wouldn't abuse the bond between my friend and I?"

Teacher lifted his head, making Callum stand.

"No, I brought you here, because the one that wants to upset the balance has survived and he is coming."

Callum's brow furrowed, before he understood what Teacher meant. The blanket dropped from around his shoulders as he felt the blood in his body become icy, and not from the temperature.

"Viren."

Rayla sighed happily as she eased her fingers around Callum's. This was so incredible, she almost had to pinch herself to see if this was a dream or not. But at the gentle grip that threaded through her fingers she felt something settle inside of her. This was real, Callum was there beside her, and she felt whole for some reason.

She only wished to find a comfortable spot with sun, tall grass full of adoraburrs, and Callum beside her to enjoy it with. All without the overhanging threat of something bad happening to either of them.

Callum's grip tightened just a bit and she observed him out of the corner of her eye while the Queen spoke. His closed warm eyes gave her the perfect opportunity to admire him without being noticed, if just for a moment.

He truly was handsome, for a human. But she knew better than to go solely by outward appearances alone. Callum was much more than a handsome face, as she remembered a few instance during their adventure where he displayed a strength like Runaan's while also being just as nimble as she was. But regardless of all of that, he was still her dumb human, her Callum.

She smiled, and closed her eyes for a heartbeat, just to savor the hard-earned peace they finally had.

The next thing she knew Callum was pushing her behind him and had raised the earth behind them. She stared at him as though he had finally gone crazy, when a huge purple bolt of lightning crashed against the wall.

Callum made a parting motion with his hands and the earth wall fell away to show Viren and several foot soldiers of his dark army. She had to thank Callum later, but now he needed someone to watch his back, and that was her job.

As Rayla drew her blades, Callum breathed in deep and stoked his magic like Teacher taught him. He smiled softly as Teacher's words from their conversation rang true in his head.

"Why did you call me away then?! I have to go there now, I have to save my family and friends!"

Teacher's response was to gently nuzzle his back and give him a soft push forward.

"This was to remind you that you are not alone, I am with you, just as Clay is, always."

Viren made to cast another attack, Callum was quicker.

He flipped his palm up, making the earth beneath Viren tremble before shooting up and sending the corrupted Sun Staff flying through the air. Callum gave a small grunt as he caught it. Glaring sternly at Viren, he straightened and slammed the staff against the ground.

"Enough. Stand down and be judged for your crimes Viren."

Following Teacher's whispered instruction, Callum purged the taint from the Sun Staff, by simply placing a hand against the orb in the centerpiece. He then put his arm behind him to hand it off to someone else, not willing to let Viren out of his sight for even a moment.

"You are relentless Step-Prince, I'll give you that much, and what's to stop my army from finishing you off here and now?"

As he felt the staff leave his grip, he could hear Teacher growling darkly over his neck. Callum still needed time to build up enough magic to allow Teacher to cross into their reality.

"Self-preservation, you are going to surrender Viren."

Laughing at the impudent brat, Viren composed himself as he looked back at him incredulously.

"You and what army?"

Callum felt a small smile spread across his lips as he felt his magic build up enough to open a path for Teacher to come through.

"I don't have an army, I have my family and my friends. But I am not going to risk them for some pretender mage like you. I know someone who'll be more than happy to see to you though."

Rayla was adjusting her blades behind Callum after passing the staff to a Sunfire Elf. She couldn't believe how calm Callum was while talking to Viren and demanding him to surrender. She had to admit he was very brave but at the same time she worried that Callum was bluffing. They didn't have the strength to fight back properly, and even without the staff, Viren was a force all on his own.

Then she eyed Callum's back, and saw his left arm behind him giving her a thumbs up. Just what was he planning now? Callum then looked up at the ceiling but didn't seem to focus on anything in particular.

"Teacher, can you please help me?"

Everyone stared at him as though he had truly lost his mind from the fierce fighting and earlier jump off the Spire. Before Viren could order his remaining minions to attack the aggravating child, a deep voice echoed out of nowhere.

"Gladly."

Callum's very shadow seemed to extend and before Rayla's eyes a massive dragon-like shape, as imposing as the former Dragon King, materialized just beside him.

"This is my family, this is my home, and you're not welcome here Viren."

Callum's voice shook Rayla from her shocked surprise, as she caught his firm gaze fixed on Viren. He turned and gave her a small smile with a wink. They would have a long talk after this, but he was right. First there was a fight to win.